John h



,(NoModelJ I .J. H. GORMAN.

FLY PAN.

No. 577,132; v Patented Feb. 16, 1897.

7 U ITED f STATES PATENT OFFIC JOHN H. GORMAN, OF DANVILLE, VIRGINIA,ASSIGNOR TO'L. O. CLARK,

J OHN FsRISON, AND WV. W. WVILLIAMSON, OF SAME PLACE.

F LY FAN SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,132, datedFebruary 16, 1897.

Application filed August 28, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. GORMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Danville, in the county of Pittsylvania and State ofVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fly-Fans;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements infly-fans; and it has for its objects, among others, to provide a simpleand cheap fan in which the operating parts are compactly arranged, so asto occupy the minimum of space, the construction being such that Iobtain the full and direct power of the mainspring, thus securinggreater force and providing a fan that will run much longer thanheretofore. I provide an improved winding mechanism, dispensing with theemployment of a key and employing in its stead a double ratchet deviceactuated by a lever extending through a slot in the case therefor.

The fans are four in number and are connected. to their supporting-armsby novel means permitting of their being easily adjusted to change theangle and to govern the speed of the same.

The fans are mounted for movement simultaneously to place them at anydesired distance apart or to raise or lower them, and each fan can beadjusted independently of the others when desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear,and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by theappended claim.

The invention in this instance resides in the peculiar combinations andthe construction, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as morefully hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and thenparticularly pointed out in the claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved fiy-fan. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the main shaft toshow the ratchet Serial No. 560,752. (No model.)

winding mechanism. Fig. 3 is atop plan of the operating mechanism withthe cap thereof removed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the spring andring.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews. 7

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designatesthe'base, which may be of any suitable design and material, with anannular vertical flange a, over which is designed to fit and to which issecured in any suitable manner, as by the screws A, the case B, althoughthe screws may sometimes be omitted and the case held detachably in po-vsition by frictional engagement with the said flange. This case issimply a housing or covering for the working part of the device and 1 isprovided at one side with a horizontal slot B, through which projectsthe lever employed in winding up the spring. Mounted upon the top ofthis case are the uprights 0, connected at their upper ends by thecross-piece O, which may, if preferred, be integral therewith, and inthis cross portion is a hole 0, through which works the vertical shaftD, which works loosely through an opening in the top of the case andupon its lower end carries a small pinion D, as shown. This shaft isprovided near its upper end with a lateral projection or pin d, whilesecured at the lower end of one of the uprights O is a spring-arm E,which has its upper and free end normally resting in a notch e and outof contact with the shaft or its projection or pin, but when it isdesired to stop the shaft from revolving this free end of the spring-armis allowed to enter the slot 6, which communicates with the opening inthe cross-piece through which the shaft works, and, engaging the saidshaft and projection, prevents the further rotation of the shaft.

F is an arm having at its lower end a tubular portion F, adapted toreceive the upper end of the main shaft and to be held thereto in anysuitable manner, by friction, if desired, and this arm carries the fansG, which in this instance are shown as four in number, although thisnumber may be varied as oocasion may require.

The fan-supporting arms H are held to the runner H, which is fitted toslide on the arm F, and are braced by the brace-arms 7L, connected tothe runner H, whereby the fans may all be raised or lowered whendesired, similar to the ribs of an umbrella.

The fans are attached to the ends of their arms by means of thesubstantially U-shaped pieces I,the free ends of which are cup-shaped,as seen at 2', and which are sprung over the balls h on the ends of thearms H and frictionally held in any adjusted position. \Vhen it isdesired to change the angle of the fan, it may be easily done by simplymoving this U-shaped piece upon the ball, and the fric-- tionalengagement is such that it will be held in such adjusted position.

J is a shaft journaled in suitable bearings in the cap J and in theplate J secured to the base A, and fast upon this shaft above the saidcap is a gear-wheel K, meshing with the pinion D on the shaft D, asshown. All of the rest of the mechanism is arranged below this cap. Onthis shaft J below the said cap is a smallpinion K,which meshes with alarge gear-wheel L, carried by the vertical shaft L, and which shaft inturn carries the small pinion M, with which meshes the large gearwheelN, loosely mounted on the main shaft N,whioh is suitably journaled, anddepending from the outer edge of this gear-wheel N is the ring 0, whichforms a housing for the mainspring P, one end of which is secured tosaid casing or ring and the other end to the said shaft N. Fast on thismain shaft just beneath the cap is a ratchet-wheel Q, while looselysleeved upon the said shaft between the said ratchet and a collar g onthe shaft is a sleeve R, from which projects the segment R, to which isaffiXed a lever or handle S, which projects through the horizontal slotof the casing, as shown,within convenient reach.

This segment carries a pawl T, which is designed to engage the ratchetand which is held to its Work by a spring T, secured to the segment andhaving one end bearing on the said pawl,-as shown. U is a pawl engagingthe ratchet to prevent retrograde movement.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description,especially when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, and afurther detailed description thereof is not deemed necessary.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What is claimed as new is- The combination with the base and avertically-disposed arm having a tubular por tion at its lower end, themain shaft having its upper end received in said tubular portion, apivotally-mounted fan-supporting arm having an integral ball at itsouter end, a U -shaped piece of spring metal, the free ends of which arecup-shaped and oppositely disposed and adapted to spring over said ballto hold the U shaped piece thereon and frictionally adjustable andfrictionally held in its adjusted position, a fan-supporting framehaving its ends secured to the outer faces of the parallel portions ofthe U-shaped piece, and a fan having its frame secured to said U-shapedpiece, all substantially as herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. GORMAN.

itnesses JAMES P. LONON, J. L. .(J. BIRD.

